Apparatus for raising sunken vessels.



J. GRANT & J. GRANT, Jn. APPARATUS PQR .RAISING SUNKLNr VBSSELS.

Patented Oct. 22, 191.2.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 11, 1911.

@sqm f J. GRANT @L J. -f-,R,L\NT, JR. APPARATUS FOR EAISING SQYT'ZU VESSELS'. APPLoATIoN 'fum JULY u, 1^ u.

l UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE.

` JOSEP-H GRANT AND JOSEPH GRANT, JR., 0F LUS ANGELES, CALIFOIRFN'IA4 AIPARATUS FOR RAISING'S/UNKEN VESSELS.

Speeication of Letters Patent.

Patented oet. 22,1912.

Application inea July 11, 1911. serial No. 637,896.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOSEPH GRANT and JosErH GRANT, Jr., citizens of the United States, residing. at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, havenvented new and useful 1mprovements in Apparatus for Raising Sunken Vessels, of which the following is a specification.

This inventiorwrelates to apparatus for raising sunkenvessels and for keeping the vessel afloat, and has for an object to provide means for preventing the vessel from sinking should the same spring a leak, and it consists preferbly of one or any suitable number of pontoons or buoyant bodies which are collapsible and adapted to be inliated with a buoyant fluid such as compressed air, gas, or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pontoon which may be readily folded and which will comprise separable sections or members, whereby the pontoon can be conveniently dried and repaired.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pontoon that can either be applied to vessels exteriorly or interiorly thereof as the occasion may warrant.

In the drawings, forming a portion of this specification and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts inV the several views: Figure 1 is a side view of the pontoon. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section therethrough. Fig. 3 is a side view of the inner sack or casing. Fig. 4 is a seetion through a portion of a vessel showing the pontoon applied thereto and located inan air tight compartment therein and conneeted with the buoy. Fig. 5 is a section through a portion of the outer casing showthe manner of attaching the band thereing to. Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showlng a slightly modified form of the invention.

The pontoon 1 shown herein comprises-an outer casing 2 of substantially accordlon construction, being preferably formed of heavy duck which may be treated in anyI suitable well known manner so as to be rendered water proof. By constructing the casing as described, the same is provided with a plurality of peripheral bulges 3, each of which being embraced by a metal band 4 which is secured to the casing by eye bolts 5, the eyes 6 thereof being presented exteriorly of the casing and receiving therethrough the attaching chains or like flexible connections 7. The chains provide means whereby the pontoons can be disposed around the vessel in a battery-like manner, or, if desired, they may be arranged singly inthe air tight compartments of the vessel, such as illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings, the compartment A therein being formed in the hull of the vessel.

The outer casing has removably mounted therein a casing 8 which maybe also formed of suitable duck or Vmaterial which is capable The of'retaining a fluid buoyant element. inner casing has mounted thereon preferably at one end, an inlet valve 9 which has a nipple portion l0 thereon for receiving one end of the flexible {iuid introducing hose 11.

The outer casing has one of its head portions laced or otherwise suitably secured to the main body of the casing at 12 to permit of the convenient removal of the inner casing. As illustrated 'in Fig. 4, the pontoon 1 1s suspended in a collapsed state or condition in the compartment A. Should the compartment be stove in, a buoyant fluid from any suitable source is conveyed by way. of t-he hose 11 to thepontoon, the expansive force of the fluid serving to distend the pontoon so as to cause the same to substantially Wholly occupy .the compartment A and thereby effectively seal the break and keep the vessel afloat. vided with any suitable well known form of air compressor or the like for supplying the pontoon with the required buoyant fluid.

The buoy 13 shown in Fig. 4 is connected with the pontoon by the air hose 14. This buoy is provided at one end with a check valve 15 to which the air supply tube 16 may be attached, the latter receiving its air from any suitable source (not shown). A chain or the like 17 connects the buoy with the deck of the vessel. From this construction, it is obvious that the vessel can be readily recovered from deep water.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 6, the outer casing 18 of the pontoon is embraced by a'band 19, the same being secured in place by the fastening device 2() which includes a bolt 21 and a nut 22, the latter having formed therein one eye 23 for the passage. of the supporting chain-therethrough. The pontoon supporting chains 24 shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings are Vpassed over suitable guide` pulleys 25 in the compartment A, the chains being provided at The vessel may be proi h n la their lower ends with Weights 26 which operate to hold the pontoon in a collapsed state.

lll/e claim:

l. A. pontoon including a buoyant casing, a series ot bands embracing the casing, eye bolts connecting the bands with the easing, and fastening?)` devices extending through the eyes oit the bolts and adopted for engage ment to a vessel.

2. A vessel having` an air tight compart nient therein, a flexible pontoon located in the compartment. and provided with a series of guide eyes, flexible elements extending through the guide eyes and connected with the pontoon, pulleys located in the tromper*- ments, the said tiexible elements having portions extended over the said pulleys', and means carried by the `flexible elements wherein the pontoon will be normally held collapsed in the compartments.

3. A pontoon includingl a buoyant casing provided ,with a plurality ot' peripheral bulges, a band embracing.;l each of said bulges, eye bolts connecting the bands' with the peripheral bulges end fastening devicesv extending through the eyes of the bolts and adopted for engagement with a vessel,

roeneee Il. A pontoon of inner and outer members, the inner member being constructed of rubber, the outer member being constructed of doek and provided with peripheral bulges, Whose coneaved surfaces are disposed in spaced relation With. the Walls of the inner member, an eye bolt having portions disposed in the space between the inner and outer members and secured to the outer member and extending laterally thereof.

5. fr pontoon including inner and outer members, said outer member being provided with a plurality of peripheral bulges and havingr one of its head portions laced permitting of convenient removal of said inner member, a bend embracing Veach of said bulges, eye bolts connecting the bands with the peripheral bnlges, extending through the eyes of the bolts and adapted 'for engagement With a vessel.

ln testimony7 whereof We ailix our signa-` tures in presence of two Witnesses.

Josnrrr ernaar JOSEPH GRANT, JR. llitnesses Y H. L. PARK, SIMON SCHULMAN.

and fastening devices 

